Artys Stone
Ser Artys Stone, also known as the White Falcon '''and '''Lord Frostwings, is the bastard son of Ronnel Arryn, the nephew of Lord Jon Arryn, the Lord of the Vale. He is also the Commander of the City Watch of Gulltown as of 285 AC. He was knighted by Robert Baratheon following the Battle of the Bells during Robert's Rebellion. Appearance and Character Artys, as a young man and an albino, had pale shaggy hair and thin red eyes. After surviving a poison attempt, one eye became jade green. As a grown man, Artys is of a height with King Robert Baratheon, his hair has grown long and lustrous, and he has a beard. He has a very lined and haggard face, looking much older than he really is, with a smooth and guarded look. Catelyn Stark declares him to be too frightful to be plain. He has broad shoulders, and a beak of a nose which was broken in combat at the Trident. He is missing the little finger of his left hand, losing it in the Battle of the Bells. He tends to wear a fur-lined blue cloak in representation of his high rank in the City Watch of Gulltown, and a hood. Artys, despite his namesake, does not take that much pleasure in martial pursuits. Even as a younger man he proved himself capable of commanding men and of holding his own in single combat or on the battlefield, but he despises tourneys and has no love whatsoever for the glory that comes from battle. He is a hard-edged, blunt and sometimes harsh individual who tends to lose favour with people because of his brutally honest nature, but he usually doesn't have it to begin with because of his ablinism. He has what many describe as a serrated laugh, with Alayne Stone thinking that it sends shivers up her spine and puts her in mind of a spider crawling up her back. Tyrion thinks him to be aptly named in her opinion - he is as proud as a king, and as hard as stone. He is rumoured to be a shapeshifter by some folk in the north. He is very close to Maester Colemon, and has a rocky relationship with Ser Vardis Egen and Ser Lyn Corbray, neither of whom truly like him. He no longer resents his bastard status because he knows that men who slight him for his birth have sired people just like him, and he is completely inconsiderate of other people's fear of his appearance. As an adult, Artys is a man of principle, focusing and caring about the men he commands and never taking his mind off of them for long. Artys is unpredictable, going from scorn to serenity in an eye's blink, and lines show in his face when he is truly angry. Artys has fond memories of Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark and Jon Arryn, whom he grew up with in childhood. He attributes a lot of what he became to them and his mother, and considers himself lucky that he didn't grow up half as harshly as others of his kind did. Artys is a skinchanger, since his mother was the grandchild of a northerner and thus he has the blood of the First Men; he can enter the mind of his pet falcon Hugor. History Artys was born in 266 AC in the Vale, when Ser Ronnel Arryn, the Keeper of the Gates of the Moon, slept with a tavern girl in Gulltown named Bethany. When he got news that she was pregnant, by Jon Arryn's command, Ronnel sent a septon and a wet nurse to care for the baby when he was born, and to protect that virtue of the mother. When he was born, she named the baby Artys, after the King of the Mountain and Vale before him. He was raised for four years in Gulltown before being summoned to the Eyrie, visited frequently by his father. Children fled from him in the streets because of his frightfully pale appearance. He had two older sisters, Helena and Themys Stone, both of whom took a fever and died. When he was brought to the Eyrie, he was kept there for ten years, never truly knowing the full breadth of the Eyrie but only knowing the borders of the Vale. He grew up alongside young Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon, wards of Lord Jon at the Eyrie. Robert in particular grew fond of the boy, thinking that while he (Robert) was stronger, the boy was a good deal quicker, and neither were fazed by his albinism, which in turn led to Artys never caring if people discriminated him for it. He visited Gulltown on multiple occasions, eventually bringing his mother back in 277 AC. The lords of the Vale did not take too kindly to his existence, many of whom fearing that he would become Jon Arryn's heir. The only besmirch to this rumour was the fact that Ser Ronnel had another son, Elbert, who was proclaimed to be heir to the Vale. Artys squired under Ser Symond Templeton, the Knight of Ninestars, and though he proved to be skilled at arms, he did not distinguish himself like the others did. He excelled with the maesters and septons, and kept good company with such people. When asked if he would like to become a maester, where he would not be judged by his skin colour or birth, he rejected the offer, since the idea of becoming a maester did not suit him at all, and the Night's Watch didn't either, even though he would have surely gained renown from the latter in particular. While he and Elbert were never truly close, Artys liked his half-brother and never truly felt threatened in his presence, as many expected him to be. He sparred frequently with the lad, and played with him, Ned and Robert on several occasions. However, Artys grew closer with Robert than he ever did with the others. Ned Stark, in later years, would think that Artys was about as wild as a falcon and as proud as an Arryn, but had a commoner's humility. He never forgot where he came from, but he would become stern and prideful as the years progressed. Eventually, when he turned fourteen, Artys was presented with a dagger by his mother for his nameday, as well as a pet falcon from Lord Arryn, which he named Hugor. On that same day, Robert presented him with a seventeen-year-old girl from Gulltown, declaring it high time he was made a man. Ned Stark protested to this, but Robert insisted. Artys asked for privacy while he engaged with the girl, which the stormlord obliged, but he did not perform - they just talked, and Artys asked if he had any brothers or sisters by his mother. He learned the girl's name was Danelle, her favourite colour was green, she had seen four men before him, and that one day she hoped to cross the Narrow Sea to Braavos and make a living there. Robert spent the rest of his life in the belief that he had given Artys his first woman. Artys attended the Tourney of Harrenhal alongside his uncle Jon. There, Artys danced with Lyanna Stark when Ned convinced her that he wasn't to be feared, and laughed when she poured wine over Benjen's head for teasing her about Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. He competed with Jon Connington for a dance with Ashara Dayne; the two of them threatened to duel when Ashara agreed to dance with both men. Later on, Artys met and became enamoured with Lord Whent's bastard daughter Laena, and asked her to dance. The two of them became lovers afterwards, and she gave him her favour to wear in the tourney. Wearing Laena's favour, Artys distinguished himself considerably by winning against all opponents, including his rival Jon Connington, and even his old friend Robert Baratheon. He sent his winnings back to Gulltown for his mother. He frightened many in attendance afterwards, more so due to his performance on the tourney fields than for his appearance. During Robert's Rebellion, Artys went with his uncle to Gulltown, aiding Robert in gaining the trust of the people inside it and witnessing the death of Marq Grafton. There, Artys marshalled considerable forces from the city and led them on to the Battle of the Bells, alongside Eddard Stark and Hoster Tully. He witnessed his kinsman Denys Arryn's death at the hands of Jon Connington, confronting him in a combative rage, and the two of them engaged in a famous duel. Though Jon took off Artys' little finger during the fight, Artys won and nearly killed him, but didn't get the chance as Jon called his army into retreat when he realised the battle was already lost, though it was reported that Artys chased him out of the town with a bloodied sword in both hands despite his injury. Artys would learn to use a blade with either hand in the future. In front of all men present after the battle, Artys Stone was knighted by Robert, dubbed Ser Artys Stone of Gulltown. Robert offered him any boon that he wanted from his old friend, to which Artys asked leave to bring Laena to the Vale once the war was won. Robert granted him this. Many present expected Artys, the 'upjumped bastard of the Vale', to ask for Gulltown itself. A recovered Artys then proceeded to fight on the front line during the Battle of the Trident. Artys lost his horse during the early stages of the battle, and saved Lord Gilwood Hunter away from an incensed stallion that would have ridden him down. After this, Artys fought side-by-side with Yohn Royce, whom he labelled as the greatest swordsman he had ever seen. He searched the battlefield for Lord Connington, but never found him, for Jon Connington had already been exiled from the Seven Kingdoms by King Aerys for the very battle in which the two men had fought. When he returned to the Eyrie, Jon Arryn put him in the City Watch of Gulltown, which was only a rudimentary force at the time of the Rebellion. Artys rose rapidly through the ranks and, by 287 AC, he was the commander. He commissioned his men with longswords, extended the stables for their use, and ordered blue cloaks for each man, with fur lines for the lieutenants. As a result, the Watchmen are known as Blue Cloaks. During his career he met Lord Petyr Baelish, who was master of finances there. They had several dealings, but weren't completely close, and Littlefinger did not think much of Artys. However, during Artys' consistent visits up to the Eyrie, he would occasionally cross paths with Jon Arryn's wife Lysa Tully, who took an immediate dislike to him. In the absence of Jon Arryn in the Eyrie, which was left under the governance of Nestor Royce, Artys struck up strong friendships with Nestor's daughter Myranda. In spite of his knighthood, Artys did not participate often in combat, owing to the fact that Gulltown's most prominent problems were gambling and theft rather than murder or outright violence. He was already considered a frightening swordsman, and often trained new recruits personally, for if they weren't afraid to face him there were few townspeople they would fear confronting. His consistent ability to keep the peace reached King's Landing, and on multiple occasions Jon Arryn recommended Robert to put Artys in his City Watch, but curiously Robert refused him, as did the present commander Lord Janos Slynt. It is possible that Littlefinger, who soon became master of coin, influenced this decision more than Slynt. As Artys has never once left the Vale of Arryn after the Trident, he has never been to King's Landing and never encountered his cousin Robert before the series begins. The only source of information that Robert Arryn has ever had is from his parents - his mother especially, who has delivered jaundiced comments about Artys whenever he arrives in a conversation. From this, even Cersei has a bad opinion of him. He is respected at a distance by many in the Vale, and tolerated in person, but he has always been japed as 'the White Falcon' for his skin. Artys has had dealings with Wyman Manderly and White Harbor, frequently overseeing shipments from the northern city. Waymar Royce squired under him for a consistent amount of time, before being knighted by the bastard. Waymar was not well liked by Artys, who found him insipid, proud and arrogant; however, Artys grew to like him well enough to wish him well on his journey to the Wall shortly after his knighthood. In 295 AC, Artys was belittled by a young Harrold Hardyng. Artys challenged him to prove his words with steel, to which Harrold answered Live steel!. Everyone laughed, except Artys, who simply raised an eyebrow and shrugged, before stating that Harrold ought to say his farewells first. Harrold, who did not expect such boldness from a bastard, ran to his father, who repulsed him. The duel never took place, but the words exchanged between them were never forgotten. Harrold Hardyng was known to mock Artys as 'Frostwings' ever since, and the name has stuck, for Artys is an albino and the sigil of House Arryn is a falcon. In the series A Game of Thrones Artys' uncle Jon dies in King's Landing, and his wife flees to the Eyrie with her son and her household. She returns to the Eyrie at night and is apparently demanding men from the Blue Cloaks - an almost dominant amount - to the Eyrie for her own protection. When hearing this, Artys apparently shook his head, stating that he couldn't spare any more men than they already send up the Giant's Lance on a regular basis. After hearing of Jon Arryn's death, Gulltown experiences ripples of chaos, including several violent thefts, and Artys apparently deals with them personally. Brynden Tully tells Catelyn, when she comes to the Vale, that Lysa had been almost volcanic in her rage when Artys refused her. She used words that would have made Hoster Tully fume. In response to his defiance, Artys is summoned under armed escort to come to the Eyrie. The escort is led by Ser Lyn Corbray, and apparently the two men traded barbs throughout the journey. Artys has already climbed the Lance by the time Catelyn comes to the Eyrie, and he has already been given accommodation there. Artys apparently encouraged Lysa's suggestion of a sky cell for his disobedience, knowing that if Lysa imprisoned him for preserving his men and his peace then the Blue Cloaks would turn on her and may even cause chaos themselves. Artys' captain, a sellsword named Endrew, takes control of Gulltown in his absence. While in the Eyrie, Artys frequently talks to Mya Stone, whom he used to play with when she was little. When Catelyn finally arrives, Artys is present, heatedly arguing with Ser Vardis Egen about seeing Lysa, who intends to postpone his punishment until she feels like seeing him. Catelyn realises that she sees him as a boy, as she did when she first met him, and intends to give him a child's punishment. However, in doing so, she continues to risk losing the respect of the blue cloaks. When she meets Artys, she is surprised by the courtesy he gives her compared with the scorn he gave Ser Vardis. In private, Artys' mind focuses completely on his trade, and he sends a raven to Endrew, telling him that if a trout could live a mountaintop, then where was a shark when he needed one. Artys is present during the trial of Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion takes note of him when Lysa gives the bastard a cool look while telling her sister how sky cells always break people. He laughs when Tyrion makes bawdy remarks during his 'confession', and voicing his agreement when Tyrion declares he cannot confess to crimes he is innocent of. When Tyrion declares a trial by combat, Artys stays completely silent, thinking of his men at Gulltown and prioritising them over Tyrion's life (or Lysa's wrath). Tyrion's champion turns out to be Bronn, and Lysa's to be Ser Vardis Egen, much to Artys' dismay. When Ser Vardis Egen loses, Tyrion is declared innocent, but has to take the high road back. Artys offers to take him as far as the inn at the Crossroads, but Lysa forbids it, stating they must take that road alone. Artys is close to laughing at this point, thinking that Lysa just missed out on an excuse not to argue wit him later on. After Tyrion leaves, a gigantic argument is reported to have taken place between the Regent of the Eyrie and the Captain of Gulltown. Apparently, Robert Arryn was sent from the room by his mother to 'protect him' from the words that would be exchanged. This argument is interrupted when Lysa's older sister confronts her. Artys is sent fuming from the hall, but afterwards Catelyn asks him what had so incensed them earlier. Artys explained that Lysa has been petitioning the majority of men from his garrisons to be sent to the capital, and more recently to the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon, but he cannot spare any because he cannot afford to, and because he doesn't trust anymore men in the woman's command. Catelyn asks about Artys' mother, whom Artys proclaims to have died long ago, and Catelyn wonders what would have changed if Ned had brought Jon Snow's mother to Winterfell - more notably, what she ''would have done. Since Catelyn has left (or, debatably, since Jon Arryn has died) there has sparked a bitter rivalry between Lysa and Ser Artys, which Littlefinger would soon claim rivals that which stood between the Tully brothers in their youth. A Clash of Kings Rumours abound about Artys Stone and Lysa Arryn throughout Westeros; even in Harrenhal, when Roose Bolton takes up residence, the feud becomes common talk among the lords and knights that come and go there. Apparently, Lysa has denied support to the City Watch in the hopes that she will coax submission out of Artys; however, he gleans support out of House Royce, who are firm supporters of his work and who have several of their cousins in his ranks. Further rumours suggest that Artys has even seduced Myranda Royce in order to get the support of the family; however, these rumours are outrageously untrue, as it turns out. In reality, Artys simply refuses to convene with Lysa in the Eyrie while she refuses to support Gulltown, whose prominence in the Vale is far more important than a petty feud that she instigated with him. Wyman Manderly reports that his daughters have travelled to Gulltown and treated with Artys; though in the North his reputation rests solely on his good relationship with Eddard Stark, even Rodrik Cassel believes that if Robb could sway the Vale in his favour, then they could make a useful ally out of Artys. Back in Gulltown, Littlefinger corresponds frequently with Artys, who writes constantly of the troubles coming into Gulltown as a result of the war. The Vale's neutrality during the War of the Five Kings proves excellent for business, but problematic to say the least for security, as smugglers and thieves aspire to thrive in the city. Tyrion Lannister wonders if an offer of legitimisation should be sent to the Captain of Gulltown in return for him donating men and supplies to the capital, perhaps even raised to Lord of the Eyrie after a deposition of Lysa. Artys refuses to reply to these offers; however, Littlefinger lies that he will sway Artys to his side with as much effort as is possible. He even suggests marrying one of Janos Slynt's supposed bastard daughters to Artys, but Tyrion knows that Artys would not agree to this as he is truly comfortable around his own people and wouldn't even consent to marrying the bastard of a man like Slynt while he already had a long-term lover in Ellen Rivers. In reality, Artys Stone has been pressed to work during wartime, with pirates and fugitives from the Narrow Sea and from the Riverlands vying for refuge within the city walls, and many of them committing rampant crimes in the process. After dealing personally with several convicted rapists and arsonists, Artys starts to exhibit signs of stress, including the suspicion that his beard is turning grey. He is visited by Lord Yohn Royce, who brings with him a decree from Lysa, declaring that if he comes back up to the Eyrie to treat with her, she will give him the Gates of the Moon themselves, as well as further lands and incomes along the Fingers. At a stroke, she would make him one of the Vale's strongest overlords. However, Artys quickly sees the folly in this, as his close ally in the Royces have cousins ruling the Gates, and the Fingers themselves aren't very profitable, plus they would distract him from his duties as captain. He sends back a raven to the Eyrie detailing that she may as well give him chickenbones, for all the meat there is to eat from them. At Harrenhal, it is mentioned that Kevan Lannister, Mace Tyrell, Tytos Blackwood and even the Evenstar of Tarth have been in contact with Artys, with Blackwood declaring how he plans on marrying one of his daughters to Artys in return for legitimacy once the war is won. Nobody realises the gutting irony that both sides, with the exception of King Stannis, have tried to sing this song to him. Artys Stone's cool replies to the Tyrells and to Ser Kevan indicate that he was much gentler with them than he was with Lysa or those in the capital. Artys corresponds most frequently with his reluctant ally Littlefinger, who reports regularly of how Artys is trying to bolster his men's supplies by leading inspections of smuggler's ships. Davos Seaworth thinks that it is lucky he has not been sent to Gulltown as of yet, since this Ser Artys Stone seems of different stuff than the gold cloaks of King's Landing. Towards the Battle of Blackwater Bay it is reported that Artys has been taken to his sickbed, having fallen under a mysterious and fatal illness while at work. In reality, he has been poisoned by Lysa for refusing to comply with her demands. Artys remains on his sickbed for days, with the only permitted company being Laena. A Storm of Swords Artys Stone is revealed to have survived his illness and poisoning, but at the cost of one eye being discoloured a vivid and dangerous green, giving him a frightful appearance. Laena Rivers writes a long and scathing letter to Nestor Royce when he demands Artys' presence, stating that Artys is busy recuperating from his disease. While recovering, Artys uses his skinchanging abilities to spy on the sky cells, scouring them for members of his Watch, and even using them to root out conspiracies in Gulltown. By the time Artys Stone recovers, Lysa sends him a personal and apparently threatening request to join her as she goes to marry Petyr Baelish. Artys reluctantly goes on the journey, being a part of her honour guard as she approaches Littlefinger's castle. He learns from the songs of Marillion that Robb Stark and his bannermen were slaughtered at the Red Wedding at the Twins, and that furthermore, King Joffrey himself was murdered at his own wedding shortly afterwards. Realising that he has suffered through so much of the war, Artys regrets not trying to openly support Robb Stark any further; he has several reminiscences of Eddard Stark and his kindness, as well as Robert Baratheon's fierceness when it came to anything, and feels that he has betrayed both of them with his inaction; instead he must suffer being bannerman to Jon Arryn's repulsive wife. Sansa Stark, who first mistakes Artys for a ghost in a blue cloak, is intimidated by his presence, so Lysa dismisses him, and Petyr recommends sending him back to Gulltown. In private, Artys resents being brought all this way for no particular reason. When they are married, Arty swatches Marillion balefully, and Sansa learns from Lothor Brune later on that Marillion has taken to making derisive songs about him, but this is irrelevant to the fact that Artys has had to deal with some of Marillion's 'dealings' in Gulltown since the lad arrived in the Vale. While travelling from Baelish Keep, Artys befriends Sansa, and she grows somewhat less afraid of him. He also butts heads frequently with Lothor Brune, though both of them become cordial towards one another. Sansa studies them both and thinks that Artys could break Lothor in half if Lothor allowed him to, though a fight between them would be bloody. Lothor laments that Artys won't be bought. Artys is on hand when Robert Arryn has one of his seizures, and is kicked hard in the face for his troubles. A Feast for Crows A Dance with Dragons Quotes Quotes by Artys Quotes about Artys Trivia * Artys is largely based on Brynden Rivers, otherwise known as 'Bloodraven'. Both were the illegitimate sons of highborn men, both of them were albinos, both of them built fearsome reputations in their lines of work, both of them had blunt and even quarrelsome nature, both of them were given mocking names based on their appearance, and both of them took a fellow bastard as their lover. Category:House Arryn Category:Male Category:Knights Category:Warrior Category:Fanon Characters Category:Bastard Category:Bastards Category:Cossack09 Category:Characters from the Vale Category:Wargs